Post by RJ Samp on Feb 24, 2002 14:42:27 GMT -5
Retreat (Afternoon Roll Call) signals the end of a soldier’s work day. ORDERS for the following day were issued, including fatigue and duty assignments, guard mount and picket duties. This Roll call was RARELY dispensed with during the Civil War, and is rarely used in reenacting today. Need an instant authenticity fix for your unit? Start here.
Retreat Roll Call normally forms the men up in company streets for the roll call count (like Reveille), and then if you want a fancy Review or Parade you form Battalion per normal. So it would be
1) men lollygagging in camp after a hard days work
2) RETREAT sounded on bugle
3) Drummer's Calls beaten, musician's assemble
4. RETREAT played by the Field Music's
5. Retreat Roll Call taken.
But in reenacting we are often are already in Battalion formation late in the afternoon (post battle).
Dom Dal Bello had a cute trick for this at Camp Randall, May 1998. (actually used at Tattoo, but the lessons learned apply to Retreat as well).
Your unit has just come off of the mainstream event battlefield and it's 4-5ish in the afternoon. Normally you'd front the battalion near camp, say some nice words, and dismiss the troops for supper.
Instead, try this.
1. Front the battalion. Dress it up.
2. Form Column of Companies (full distances). This forms an instant company street so the First Sergeant and Captain can address their men in semi-privacy as a unit.
3. Sound Retreat. First Sergeant's to call the roll immediately after the final note is sounded. Shirker's and stragglers put on report. Company commanders can be at an officer's call.
4. Field Musics to play the Retreat music while the roll call is being taken...add some fun tunes and keep the morale of the troops up! They've worked hard all day and have earned your musical support.
5. Orders for the following day are issued: who is on guard duty, who cleans the sinks, who are the orderlies, etc. A few choice words from the Captain.
6. Sound To The Color, wheel companies back into the color line (martial air is played).
7. Troop the Colors. (common step down, quick step back). PARADE.
8. Sound the Recall, dismiss the men for the evening.
Try it, you'll like it!
PS: this works for TATTOO (evening) roll call as well. In all cases, the Brigade Bugler sounds the camp duty call, then the battalion bugler, and then echoed by the battalion field musics. The big problem here in reenacting is this is frequently private time or the big dance....oh well, you can't have everything.
RJ Samp
Retreat Roll Call normally forms the men up in company streets for the roll call count (like Reveille), and then if you want a fancy Review or Parade you form Battalion per normal. So it would be
1) men lollygagging in camp after a hard days work
2) RETREAT sounded on bugle
3) Drummer's Calls beaten, musician's assemble
4. RETREAT played by the Field Music's
5. Retreat Roll Call taken.
But in reenacting we are often are already in Battalion formation late in the afternoon (post battle).
Dom Dal Bello had a cute trick for this at Camp Randall, May 1998. (actually used at Tattoo, but the lessons learned apply to Retreat as well).
Your unit has just come off of the mainstream event battlefield and it's 4-5ish in the afternoon. Normally you'd front the battalion near camp, say some nice words, and dismiss the troops for supper.
Instead, try this.
1. Front the battalion. Dress it up.
2. Form Column of Companies (full distances). This forms an instant company street so the First Sergeant and Captain can address their men in semi-privacy as a unit.
3. Sound Retreat. First Sergeant's to call the roll immediately after the final note is sounded. Shirker's and stragglers put on report. Company commanders can be at an officer's call.
4. Field Musics to play the Retreat music while the roll call is being taken...add some fun tunes and keep the morale of the troops up! They've worked hard all day and have earned your musical support.
5. Orders for the following day are issued: who is on guard duty, who cleans the sinks, who are the orderlies, etc. A few choice words from the Captain.
6. Sound To The Color, wheel companies back into the color line (martial air is played).
7. Troop the Colors. (common step down, quick step back). PARADE.
8. Sound the Recall, dismiss the men for the evening.
Try it, you'll like it!
PS: this works for TATTOO (evening) roll call as well. In all cases, the Brigade Bugler sounds the camp duty call, then the battalion bugler, and then echoed by the battalion field musics. The big problem here in reenacting is this is frequently private time or the big dance....oh well, you can't have everything.
RJ Samp